Xue Qinghe Arrives

She wasn't worried about the money; the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had plenty of it. Ning Fengzhi alone gave Li Xun several hundred Gold Soul Coins in monthly spending money. She was only afraid that Li Xun was too young and might be swindled.

"It's fine, Aunt Xue. I know what I'm doing. No one can fool me."

This idea had also come to Li Xun on a whim. Even Yang Wudi had managed to gather information on Immortal Grade herbs. With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect behind him, a sect as wealthy as a nation, there was no reason he could not do the same.

"It's only a small expense. Once they see the returns, they'll understand." Li Xun could already imagine everyone's reactions when he distributed the Immortal Grade herbs.

Over the following days, Li Xun did nothing but cultivate and hole up in the Library reading.

As one of the Upper Three Sects, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect possessed countless books. Merely skimming through them at ten lines a glance took Li Xun a great deal of effort.

Though Ning Fengzhi and the others did not understand Li Xun's actions, they silently supported him all the same. They would often send disciples over to help move books.

The disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect gradually began to learn the name Li Xun as well.

"Ninth Grade Purple Ganoderma, Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew... I've finally found something." Holding a copy of Medicine King's Travels, Li Xun smiled.

He had gone through more than half of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Pharmacopoeia before finding this book.

"Though the Ninth Grade Purple Ganoderma isn't Immortal Grade, its medicinal properties strengthen one's foundation and nourish one's essence, helping people break through bottlenecks. It's still a rare treasure."

"Poor Yu Xiaogang. Now he won't even be able to reach level thirty." Li Xun laughed soundlessly and carefully placed the travelogue into his Soul Tool.

Time passed swiftly.

The task Li Xun had announced gradually began to gain traction. People started coming to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect one after another to sell herbal books. Though he had not yet encountered any books concerning Immortal Grade herbs, he still bought many of them.

He did this only to build a reputation for honesty and draw in more people.

Through tireless cultivation, along with the support of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's various precious meals and medicinal herbs, Li Xun's Soul Power had reached level nineteen. Though his total Chakra had increased slowly, it had still improved greatly compared to before.

Li Xun estimated that he should now be at the level of a Genin. It was just that this Genin might be a little too impressive. Ninjutsu applications such as water walking and tree climbing posed no difficulty to him at all.

At that moment, he was practicing the Body Flicker Technique in the courtyard.

For someone who possessed Hashirama Senju's cultivation memories, ordinary Ninjutsu had no threshold. Yet to use a Ninjutsu skillfully still required constant practice.

Until it became an instinct of the body.

His figure flickered in and out of sight throughout the courtyard. As he darted and shifted, afterimages had already begun to appear.

"Whew, it finally looks somewhat decent." Li Xun let out a long breath. As an advanced Ninjutsu derived from the Three Body Technique, he had been practicing the Body Flicker Technique for quite some time.

There was no need to mention the Three Body Technique itself. He had long since been able to use the Substitution Technique, Clone Technique, and Transformation Technique. It was only because his Chakra was unstable that the clones and transformations lasted for an extremely short time.

"Young Master, His Highness Xue Qinghe has arrived. Master asked me to call you over." Perhaps having heard that Li Xun had finished training, Aunt Xue's voice came from outside the courtyard.

"Alright, Aunt Xue. Please wait a moment. I'll go change clothes." Li Xun's eyes sharpened. After replying, he headed into the room.

He knew that the current His Highness Xue Qinghe was Qian Renxue in disguise.

The Third Prince died suddenly last year. Counting the timing, Qian Renxue should be ascending to the Crown Prince Position very soon. She's probably here now because she wants Teacher's support to solidify her standing within the imperial family.

Although Ning Fengzhi was Xue Qinghe's Teacher in name, he had not participated in the struggle for the throne.

The main reason was that Emperor Xue Ye had still been relatively healthy in previous years, and the Heaven Dou Empire's power had remained firmly in his hands. Whom he named Crown Prince was a matter of a single word from him.

But everything had changed over the past few years. The Second Prince and Third Prince had died suddenly one after another, while the Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, was still young. At only seventeen years old, Xue Qinghe had already begun to reveal his brilliance.

The main hall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

When Li Xun entered, he saw a youth dressed in splendid finery seated beside Ning Fengzhi.

The youth was sixteen or seventeen years old, with a gentle face and a faint smile at the corners of his lips that gave others a feeling of closeness.

"Teacher." Li Xun saluted Ning Fengzhi, then turned his gaze toward Qian Renxue, who was disguised as Xue Qinghe.

"Come, Xiao Xun. I called you here mainly so that you could get acquainted with His Highness Xue Qinghe." Ning Fengzhi wore a smile throughout. Seeing Li Xun enter, he quickly introduced the person beside him.

Li Xun nodded, then cupped his hands toward Xue Qinghe in greeting. "Greetings, Your Highness."

"Junior Brother, there is no need to be so polite with me. You and I are both Teacher's disciples, so you may simply call me Senior Brother." Xue Qinghe spoke softly with a gentle smile.

"I heard Teacher say that Junior Brother is very interested in the medicinal arts and has been collecting medical books and records everywhere. As it happens, I found several rare editions in the Heaven Dou Library. Consider them a meeting gift for Junior Brother."

After speaking, Xue Qinghe took three books from his Soul Tool and handed them to Li Xun.

"Thank you, Senior Brother." Looking at the books being offered, Li Xun's heart stirred. He accepted them with both hands, putting on an expression of delight.

Rare editions collected by the imperial family were surely valuable. Xue Qinghe had even considered him during this visit; her thoughts were truly meticulous.

"If Junior Brother keeps being so polite, Senior Brother will get angry." Seeing the delight on Li Xun's face but the perfect courtesy in his behavior, Xue Qinghe feigned anger.

Seeing Xue Qinghe act this way, Li Xun quickly put on a bashful look. "Hehe... alright, Senior Brother."

Ning Fengzhi revealed a satisfied expression at the harmonious scene.

"Your Highness, Xiao Xun rarely interacts with the outside world. As his Senior Brother, you should keep in closer contact with him."

Ordinarily, maintaining stable relations with the imperial family should have been the responsibility of the next Sect Leader.

But Ning Rongrong was a girl, still young, and her temperament had not yet stabilized. Pushing her forward would inevitably invite unpleasant speculation.

Though the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was called a sect, it truly had no need to fear the imperial family if matters came down to it. There was no need for them to humble themselves like this.

"Teacher is right. That was precisely my intention as well."

Xue Qinghe nodded with a smile, then turned to Ning Fengzhi and asked, "By the way, Teacher, have Rongrong and Xiao Xun considered enrolling in an academy to study?"

"What does Your Highness mean by this?" Ning Fengzhi's heart stirred.

A force like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect did not require its disciples to enter an academy for knowledge like Commoner Soul Masters. The sect had its own complete system for teaching its disciples.

Yet Xue Qinghe clearly knew this and still brought it up before him, so there was evidently something else involved.

"Teacher, Prince Xue Xing has recently been frequently meddling in the affairs of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. He has also established ties with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, inviting their sect disciples to enter the academy."

"Now, Yu Tianheng of the Blue Lightning Clan's younger generation is in the limelight at the academy. Many academy disciples take pride in joining the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."

"If this continues, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's standing in the Heaven Dou Empire may be affected." At this point, Xue Qinghe frowned tightly, as though burdened by some concern.

Ning Fengzhi frowned at those words and lowered his head in thought.

All the powers of Heaven Dou knew that Xue Qinghe was his student. That relationship was also a symbol of the close ties between the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the imperial family.

Prince Xue Xing's actions were clearly intended to use the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan to keep the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in check.

Although the Upper Three Sects were united in spirit and purpose.

Xue Qinghe was now only a little time away from the Crown Prince Position. To prevent any unforeseen complications, he ought to lend a hand.

"Your Highness need not worry. Yu Yuanzhen will not act rashly. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has weakened in recent years; this move is merely an attempt to establish ties with the imperial family."

"However, it is indeed time for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to have some disciples venture out into the world. Let others see the geniuses of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect as well."